Screen coupling



E. E. JOHNSON April 5 1927.

S GREEN COUPL I NG Filed Dec. 31. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwve'nl'oz Edward E J0hr1son Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWARD E. JOHNSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SCREEN COUPLING.

Application filed Iiecember 31, 1928. Serial No. 683,604.

My invention relates to well screens particularly of the type consisting, of a number of interlocked convolutions of perforated screen stock reinforced by longitudinal rods secured thereto and has for its object'to provide a terminal collar for said well screen by means of which the same and the reinforcthereto.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a terminal collar for a well screen having longitudinal reinforcing rods, which terminal is adapted to beef a uniform thickness throughout, projecting substantially the same distance into the screen as the reinforcing rods thereof so that a minimum amount of constriction to the cross sectional area of the entire screen is caused.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a terminal collar for a well screen having longitudinal reinforcing rods by means of which the same may be rigidly and securely attached to the end of the well screen and to the reinforcing rods.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal collar for well screens which may readily be attached to the screen proper by soldering and which will lmvesufiicient strength to permit of connecting anumber of sections together.

In carrying out the objects of my invention, I employ an annular ring forming the terminal of my invention which is provided with a recess along the exterior in which the screen proper is seated and which is provided with longitudinal openings adapted to receive the reinforcing rods of the screen, which openings communicate with outwardly extending openings through which solder may be flowed to form plugs or heads at the ends of the rods for securely attaching the screen and the reinforcing rods to the said terminal collar.

Other objects of the invention reside in the detailed construction of the device as clearly brought out in the specification and claims relating thereto.

In the drawings illustrating my invention in one form:

Figure 1 is a pcrspectiveview showing my invention as employed in connecting two sections of well screen together.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing my invention attached to the lower end of a well pipe.

mg rods thereof may be securely attached Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of a well screen showing my terminal attached thereto drawn-to an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-'-5 of Figure 4, and drawn to a still larger scale.

In Figure 1, I have shown two sections A and B of a well screen which are formed with terminals 11 and 12 secured to the ends of the same by means of which said sections may be screwed together to form a rigid and tight construction. As will be noted, the terminal 11 is formed with interior threads 13 which are adapted to screw upon exterior threads 14 formed on the end of the terminal 12 so that two terminals may be screwed to form a construction being flush 7 both on the interior and the exterior of the 7 screen. The terminals 11 and 12 are identical in construction and in the manner of attaching the same to the screen proper excepting for the male and female threads thereon. A description of the terminal 11 will therefore be given in detailonly.

Although my invention'maybe employed with different types of well screens, the same is particularly well adapted to be employed with a screen such as shown in detail in Figures 3, 1 and 5. The screen here illustrated consists of a number of convolutions 15 of screen stock such as shown in cross section in Figure 5, which convolutions, when rolled together, form a tubular shell 20 having spiral openings 16 extending around the exterior periphery of the screen which communicate by means of perforations 17 with the interior of the tubular shell thus formed. Along the inner surface'of the screen shell 20 formed by the convolutions 15, are'placed a number of longitudinal reinforcing rods 18 which may be soldered to the shell of the screen or secured thereto in any other suitable manner.

As before stated, the terminal 11 illustrated in Figure '1 has been shown in detail in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This terminal consists of a ring portion 21 which is recessed and internally threaded at 13, as before stated. Along the upper end of the terminal 11. the same is formed with an annular recess22 of a depth which is equal to the thickness of the shell 20 so that the said shell fits snugly about the end of the ring portion 21 when placed as indicated in Figures 3 and 5.

. 11 which commence at the outer edge of the portion 21 of the said terminal and meet the openings 23 previously described. The openings 24 are so cut that the same intersect the surface of the recessed portion of the terminal of the invention so that the rods 18 which project outwardly beyond the ends of the last convolutions 15 of the shell 20 may extend down into the said holes and into the openings 23 as shown in Figure 3 when the said terminal is properly positioned upon the end of the screen with the screen shell 20 firmly lodged in therecess 22.

If slotted reinforcing rods, such as shown in the drawings, are used the extreme ends of the same which 'project into the openings 23 may be spread apart as illustrated at 31 to prevent the separation of the said reinforcing rods from the terminal. When the parts have been so assembled, the entire structure may be soldered or brazed from the exterior of the screen by flowing solder into the successive openings 23 until the solder has run along the drilled holes" 24 and rods 18 and along the recess 22 and securely united said rods and the screen shell 20 to the ring portion 21 of the screen terminals. In this manner, a'plug or head 30 is formed which is securely attached to the end of the reinforcing rods 18 and which is lodged in the openings 23. This construction prevents the rods 18 from being drawn out through the holes 24. through'which they extend. If desired, the joint between the last convolution15 and the recess 22, as indicated at 25 may be soldered to-provide a tight connection having no opening larger than the opening through the screen proper so that no sand may enter the screen which further-aids in stiffening and securing the screen shell to the terminal. With a screen so assembled and connected to my improved terminal, a structure is provided whichis firmly united to practically form an integral construction.

My improved terminal may be equally as well used at the head end of the screen where the same is'attached to the well pipe. as illustrated in Figure 2. In such use, an internal recess 26 is formed-on the interior of the terminal which I haye illustrated at. 27 in this figure. A tubularextension of the terminal 27 shown at 28 is attached to the said terminal by means of the recess 26 which extension is made of a soft ductile Well pipe, which is illustrated at 29 the Near the lower end of the portion 21 ofterminal 11 is drilled a number of radial material. In attaching the screen to the screen is passed through the pipe untll the end of the screen takes the position as shown.- Byswedging the extension 28 outwardly to make contact with the inner surface of the pipe 29, a tight construction is provided which will exclude sand and foreign material from the'pipe so that pure clean water may be pumped out of the well. In a similar manner, a screen point or any other terminal may be secured to the end of the screen so'as to attach the same to form an integral construction whereby the screen may be driven or sunk in place as required.

My invention is advantageous in that an extremely simple construction is provided by means of which the terminal may be secured to the end of the screen and whereby the longitudinal reinforcing rods of the screen may be firmly imbedded in the terminal so that a substantially integral construction is provided. The terminal'may be of a minimum thickness thereby preventing diminution of the cross sectional area of the screen. At the same time. a flush construction is providedat the exterior of the screen permitting the screen to he slid through closely fitting pipes. terminal can be easily constructed and quickly and securely mounted upon the well screen.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which ,-I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tubular well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods a terminal having a ring like portion provided with a plurality of longitudinal holes adapted to receive the ends of said rods, openings thru the exterior surface of said ring like portions communi: A

eating with and terminating at said longitudinal holes, and means secured to the ends of said rods and lodged within-said openings for holding said rods attached to said terminal.

for conductin the same to said holes for soldering sai reinforcing rods and screen to said ring-like portion.

3. In combination with a well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods and a shell secured to said reinforcing tending through the outer wall of said terminal-beyond said recess and communicating with said holes and said recess for conducting molten solder to said holes to solder said rods and shell to said terminal.

4. In combination with a well screen comprising a screen shell formed of a plurality of interlocked spaced convolutions of screen stock and a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods attached to each of said convolutions and extending outwardly beyond the end of the last convolution of said shell, a terminal having a ring-like portion of uniform thickness throughout having a recess adapted to receive a portion of the end of said screen shell and a plurality of longitudinal holes in said ring-like portion adapted to receive the ends 'of said reinforcing rods, a plurality of openings formed in said terminal extending through the duter wall thereof and communicating with-said holes at the ends of said reinforcing rods, soldered plugs secured to the ends of said reinforcing rods and lodged in said openings .and attaching means formed on the ends of said terminal.

5. In combination with a tubular well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods a terminal havlng a ring like portion provided with a plurality of longitudinal holes adapted to receive the ends of said rods, openings thru the exterior surface of said ring like ortioncommunieating with and terminating at said longitudinal holes, said openings being larger in size than saidholes and forming pockets around the ends of said rods and solder plugs secured to the ends of, said rods and lodged within said openings.

6. In combination with a tubular well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods, a terminal provided with a pluralit of longitudinal holes stopping short 0 the end of said terminal, adapted to receive the ends ofsaid rods, said holes being enlarged at the r inner ends. the extreme ends of said rods projecting into said enlargements and being spread out therein.

'7. In combination with a well screen having a plurality of longitudfnally positioned grooved reinforcing rods, a terminal provided with longitudinal holes adapted to receive the ends of rods, said holes beingem larged at their extreme ends, the side walls of the extreme ends of the grooved portions of said rods extending into said enlargement and being spread out therein.

8. In combination with a tubular well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods, a terminal having a ringlike portion provided with a plurality of longitud'nal holes adapted to receive the ends of said rods, openings through a surface of said ring-like portion communicating with and terminating at said longitudinal holes, said openings being larger in size than said holes and forming pockets around the ends of said rods and plugs secured to the ends of said rods and lodged within said openings.

'9. In combination with a tubular well screen having a plurality of longitudinal reinforcing rods, a terminal having a ring! like portion rovided with a plurality of longitudinal ioles adapted to receive the face of said ring-like portion communicating with and terminating at said longitudinal holes, and means secured to the ends of said rods and lodged within said openings for holding said rods attached to said terminal.

' EDWARD E. JOHNSON.

ends of said rods, openings through a sur- 

